Agastache plant named ‘Kudos Yellow’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Agastache  plant characterized by numerous yellow flowers on long, dense inflorescences, a long bloom time, a short, compact habit, good winter hardiness, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Agastache hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Kudos Yellow’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAgastache, given the name, ‘Kudos Yellow’. Agastache is in the familyLamiaceae. This new variety is one of several selections of newAgastache using hardy and dwarf Agastache species in the breeding linesto provide hardiness and compactness. The new cultivar is a selectionfrom the cross between Agastache AO-var, as the seed parent, andAgastache 207-5, as the pollen parent. The new cultivar was selected forits compact habit, hardiness, and masses of yellow flowers in denseheads.

Compared to the seed parent, Agastache AO-var, the new cultivar hasyellow flowers rather than yellow orange.

Compared to the pollen parent, Agastache 207-5, the new cultivar hasyellow flowers rather than light yellow orange.

Compared to Agastache ‘Kudos Gold’, U.S. Plant patent application No.14/120,308, the new cultivar is similar except for the flower colorwhich is yellow rather than light yellow orange.

Compared to Agastache aurantiaca ‘Sunset Yellow’, an unpatented plant,the new cultivar has much larger and denser inflorescences and a bushiermore upright habit.

Compared to Agastache mexicana Acapulco® ‘White & Yellow’, an unpatentedplant, the new cultivar has much larger and denser inflorescences and abushier more upright habit. The flower color of the new cultivar is moreyellow.

This plant exhibits the following characteristics that make it unique:

-   -   1. numerous yellow flowers on long, dense inflorescences,    -   2. a long bloom time,    -   3. a short, compact habit,    -   4. good winter hardiness, and    -   5. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (stemcuttings and micropropagation using apical buds and nodes). Each of theprogeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant.Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and micropropagation using apicalbuds and nodes as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoingcharacteristics and distinctions come true to form and are establishedand transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present inventionhas not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. Thephenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change inthe genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a six-month-old Agastache ‘Kudos Yellow’plant of the new cultivar grown in a one gallon container in July inCanby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows one-year-old Agastache ‘Kudos Yellow’ growing in the fieldin mid summer in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Agastache cultivarbased on observations of 6-month-old specimens in July growing in fullsun in the field in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardinessmap. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to anaverage of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition, 2007.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Upright, bushy, well-branched.        -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 6-10.        -   Size.—Grows to 52 cm wide and 50 cm tall to the top of the            flowers.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Branching.—About 12 main stems from the base, these branch            at every node.        -   Stem.—Square in cross section, grows to 4 mm wide and 27 cm            tall to the first flower, pubescent, internodes range from 2            cm to 5 cm long, Yellow Green 146B.        -   Roots.—White 155B, fibrous, plants root easily from stem tip            cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Shape.—Ovate to triangular.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Margins.—Crenate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 40 mm long and 25 mm wide.        -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.        -   Petiole description.—Grows to 12 mm long and 1 mm wide,            pubescent, Yellow Green 147B.        -   Leaf color.—Top side Green 137A with vein 147B, bottom side            closest to Yellow Green 147B with vein 147C.        -   Fragrance.—Aromatic.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal spike with up to 14 whorls.        -   Number of flowers.—About 300 per spike.        -   Size of inflorescence.—Grows to 20 cm tall and 5 cm wide.        -   Peduncle.—Grows to 7 cm tall and 2 mm wide, pubescent,            Yellow Green 147B.        -   Pedicel.—Grows to 2 mm long, pubescent, Yellow Green 147C.        -   Bloom period.—June through frost in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—20 mm long and 4 mm wide at the widest point prior to            opening.        -   Description.—Tubular.        -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Yellow Orange 15C.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Zygomorphic.        -   Shape.—Bilabiate, tubular.        -   Size.—25 mm long and 5 mm wide.        -   Corolla description.—25 mm long and 5 mm wide; overall color            both sides Yellow 13A, old flowers may turn Orange Red 35C            on tube before senescing; glabrous inside and pubescent            outside, tube 20 mm long and 1 mm to 4 mm wide; 2 upper            lobes joined 4 mm long and 3 mm wide, each oblong, tips            acute, margin entire; three lower lobes, two spreading            sideways, ovate, each 3 mm long and 3 mm wide, tip acute,            margin entire; bottom lobe cupped, broadly obovate, notched            at the tip, margin entire to occasionally serrate, 5 mm wide            and 4 mm deep.        -   Calyx description.—Campanulate, 7 mm long and 2.5 mm wide,            pubescent outside and glabrous inside, 5 lobed, lobes            lanceolate, 2.5 mm long, margins entire, tips acuminate,            Yellow Green 147C inside and outside, lobe edges tinted with            Greyed Orange 177A.        -   Pistil description.—One, exerted, 21 mm long, ovary 1 mm            long, Yellow Green 145C, style 19 mm long, White NN155C,            stigma two-parted, 1 mm deep, Greyed Purple 186C.        -   Stamen description.—4 in number, paired, top two 20 mm long            and bottom two 17 mm long, filaments White NN155C, anthers            0.4 mm long, Greyed Orange 178A, pollen none.        -   Fragrance.—Aromatic.        -   Lastingness.—A spike blooms for about 4 weeks on the plant.-   Fruit/seed: 4 nutlets, 1 mm long, ovoid, Black 202A, very low    fertility.-   Pests and diseases: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No    known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found    in Canby, Oreg.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct form of Agastache plant substantially asshown and described.